The Pinarello X promises a combination of form, function, elegance and performance, resulting in the ideal balance for an all-road bike. Considering the relatively affordable price point, it’s targeted at the slightly less affluent Pinarello fans. Can it deliver?
This bike was tested as part of our 2023 all-road group test – you can find an overview of the group test and the featured bikes over here: The best all-road bike of 2023 – 10 all-road bikes in review
Albert Einstein is claimed to have said, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” But to start moving, you’ll have to find your balance first. Designing and building a perfect all-road bike is a tough task that involves finding the right balance between lightness, dynamism, and versatility. It’s even harder for a brand with as much racing pedigree as Pinarello, sponsoring World Tour teams like INEOS-Grenadier. With the Pinarello X, the Italian company have set themselves the goal of creating a long-distance bike offering both comfort and performance, that’s fun to ride on rough roads. Their bikes have sometimes become status symbols, with prices often starting at well above € 10,000. Fortunately, however, The Pinarello X is considerably more affordable, with prices ranging from € 3,680 to € 5,600, putting it squarely in the mid-range segment. Can you get a status symbol that’s affordable and strikes the perfect balance, or have Pinarello bitten off more than they can chew?
A parabola of prestige and potential – What is the Pinarello X capable of?
It’s organically curved tubes as far as the eye can see on the Pinarello X. Overall, this gives it a sleek yet striking, and typically Italian look. So, classic Pinarello then, and easily mistaken for the Pinarello F and Dogma F. You certainly wouldn’t guess that it’s marketed as an all-road bike. Due to the elegant, all-black design, the eye-catching lines and curves are somewhat less conspicuous. If you want to go all-out Italian style, opt for the Ferrari red finish. Either way, the Pinarello X looks like it’s been carved from a single block of material, which is partly due to the lack of bosses and eyelets on the frame. The striking tube shapes aren’t just there for style, but also function. The curved seat stays, so-called “flex stays”, and the heavily curved ONDA fork are said to offer increased compliance.
Despite the mid-range price point, the Pinarello X has some technical highlights to offer. The teardrop shaped, 120 mm Tiger TiCR stem features completely internal cable routing. The seat post relies on the same shape, which could even pass as an aero feature. You’ve got teardrop shaped “flaps” at the lower end of the fork, too, which are intended to minimise turbulence. Where Pinarello have economised on the X becomes clear when looking at the build spec: the Shimano 105 Di2 drivetrain is a reliable mid-class performer, offering an excellent gear range for a wide variety of use cases with the 50/34 t crankset and 11–34 t cassette. The aluminium Fulcrum Racing 800 wheelset, on the other hand, is more of an entry-level product, tipping the scales at 1,960 g according to the manufacturer’s specs. They’re responsible in large part for the bike’s considerable weight of 9.04 kg, putting it well above the test field average. The 32 mm Pirelli P7 Sport tires suit the Italian flair, but they don’t meet our all-road demands – a pair of Pirelli Cinturato Velos would have been the better choice. However, these would also be limited to 32 mm, because that’s the maximum width that the Pinarello X accommodates. The Pinarello X on test can be yours for € 5,600, making it an appealing option to a broader group of riders.
Pinarello x
€ 5,660
Specifications
Fork mm
Seatpost Pinarello Aero D-shaped
Brakes Shimano 105 Di2 R7100 160 mm
Drivetrain Shimano 105 Di2 R7100 2x12
Stem MOST Tiger Aluminum TICR 120 mm
Handlebar MOST Jaguar Aero XA TICR 420 mm
Wheelset Fulcrum Racing 800
Tires Pirelli P7 Sport 700x32c
Technical Data
Size 43 46 49 51,5 53 54,5 56 58 60
Weight 9,04 kg
Specific Features
Sophisticated aero concept
ONDA fork and flexible seat stays for plenty of comfort
Cleanly integrated stem
Stealthy black-on-black paint job
Size | 43 | 46 | 49 | 51,5 | 53 | 54,5 | 56 | 58 | 60 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seat tube | 425 mm | 450 mm | 470 mm | 595 mm | 510 mm | 525 mm | 540 mm | 560 mm | 590 mm |
Top tube | 492 mm | 509 mm | 525 mm | 536 mm | 545 mm | 555 mm | 565 mm | 577 mm | 590 mm |
Head tube | 125 mm | 130 mm | 142 mm | 151 mm | 161 mm | 173 mm | 187 mm | 211 mm | 232 mm |
Head angle | 70.0° | 70.5° | 71.0° | 71.5° | 72.0° | 72.3° | 72.5° | 72.5° | 72.5° |
Seat angle | 75.3° | 74.5° | 74.0° | 73.8° | 73.5° | 73.3° | 73.0° | 72.8° | 72.5° |
Chainstays | 415 mm | 415 mm | 415 mm | 415 mm | 415 mm | 415 mm | 415 mm | 415 mm | 415 mm |
BB Drop | 67 mm | 72 mm | 72 mm | 72 mm | 72 mm | 72 mm | 72 mm | 67 mm | 67 mm |
Radstand | 974 mm | 981 mm | 991 mm | 992 mm | 994 mm | 1,000 mm | 1,005 mm | 1,017 mm | 1,028 mm |
Reach | 342 mm | 352 mm | 362 mm | 369 mm | 373 mm | 377 mm | 380 mm | 384 mm | 388 mm |
Stack | 528 mm | 539 mm | 552 mm | 564 mm | 576 mm | 588 mm | 602 mm | 620 mm | 640 mm |
Find your balance – How does the Pinarello X perform on the test track?
It is difficult not to get frustrated with the Pinarello X before you can even set off. To adjust the saddle height and handlebar roll on the stem, you need a T 15 Torx, but who has that on their multitool? Fortunately, it pays off: the bike feels dialled, and makes you want to keep on riding from the get-go. Thanks to the relatively short reach, the rather long stem works just fine, putting you in a nicely centred riding position. However, the occasional creak emitted by the seat post clamp gets very annoying, and it’s particularly noticeable on rough surfaces. The handling is superbly balanced, as is the riding position. If necessary, and with a little effort, the Pinarello X will navigate corners with agility, yet it doesn’t feel nervous on long straights and fast descents. Surprisingly, we didn’t notice the almost 2 kg wheels all that much, and the bike feels mostly nimble and agile even on the climbs.
The stand-out characteristic of the Pinarello X, however, is its excellent compliance. It’s comfortable on every kind of terrain, easily outperforming many of the other bikes on test – and that’s with skinny 32 mm tires and no additional damping elements such as those you’ll find on the Specialized, Trek, and Wilier. As such, bumpy roads and poorly maintained asphalt suddenly seem a lot less daunting. It’s too bad that the Pinarello X doesn’t have wider tire clearances, which would take the bike to the next level of all-road capability. A few mounting points wouldn’t hurt either, making it a more well-rounded package in terms of day-to-day utility and versatility.
The Pinarello X is destined for those who have always dreamed of owning a Pinarello but couldn’t afford the price or the aggressive riding position.
Who is the Pinarello X for?
If you’ve always wanted a bike from Pinarello, but don’t want to spend a small fortune, you can now fulfil this dream with the Pinarello X. Fans of that classic Italian flair will also get their money’s worth. But this all-road bike offers more than just looks and prestige, as it’s supremely comfortable and a pleasure to ride. If you’re fine with the 32 mm tire clearance, you get a lot of all-road performance and can have a lot of fun. The Pinarello X is a great choice for those who like Pinarello but aren’t into racing.
Tuning tip: A lightweight wheelset and more puncture resistant tires for a livelier and more reliable all-road feel.
Riding Characteristics
4Agility
- cumbersome
- playful
Stability
- nervous
- confident
Handling
- demanding
- balanced
Fun factor
- boring
- lively
Comfort
- firm
- comfortable
Value for money
- terrible
- very good
Conclusion on the Pinarello X
Pinarello have hit a home run in the mid-range segment with the Pinarello X. It almost strikes the perfect balance between comfort, handling, and performance. Even the € 5,660 price point is ok, considering that it’s a Pinarello, making it the third most affordable bike on test. In return, you get a mid-range build, specced with reliable components, and offering unbeatable comfort. For the perfect ride-life balance, all that’s missing are a few mounting points and increased tire clearance.
Tops
- supremely comfortable thanks to flexible seat stays
- balanced handling
- discreet and elegant Italian flair
Flops
- minimal tire clearance limits the bike somewhat
- no mounting points for bags or fenders
You can find out more about at pinarello.com
The testfield
This bike was tested as part of our 2023 all-road group test – you can find an overview of the group test and the featured bikes over here: The best all-road bike of 2023 – 10 all-road bikes in review
All bikes on review: Argon 18 Krypton (Click for review) | Merida Scultura Endurance 9000 (Click for review) | Parapera Atmos² (Click for review) | Pinarello X | Rondo Ratt CF (Click for review) | Rose Reveal Plus (Click for review) | Scott Solace eRide 10 (Click for review) | Specialized Roubaix Comp (Click for review) | Trek Domane SLR 7 AXS Gen 4 (Click for review) | Wilier Granturismo SLR (Click for review)
No, it’s not about perfect race tracks, it’s about efficiency. Fast, fleet-footed and efficient – those who want to speed along high-speed passages need a defined and spritely bike that accelerates with ease and efficiency. Nevertheless, reliable components are important too. We interpret “Smooth tarmac” bikes as follows: Hard efforts at high speeds with a maximum efficient bike on a consistently well-paved road. Effort-joy ratio: 80:30 (not everything has to be 100%!)↩
… also known as bike riding. Broken-up roads in the hinterland, deadlocked gravel roads, loose surfaces – sometimes muddy, sometimes bone-dry. For this, it takes bikes with super all-round, handling and wearing qualities uphill and downhill. Effort-joy ratio: 50:50↩
If you want to use your bike almost every day, you usually do not need an extremely tuned racing machine. Solid components, which are able to cope with the rigours of continuous usage in any kind of weather, are part of the basic equipment. At the same time, the bike should have practicable details: integrated fenders/assembly options, luggage racks/attachment points and a light system or at least the option of installing bike lights. The position on the bike should be rather relaxed, the overall comfort high, so that the Afterwork Ride becomes a cure and not a curse. Effort-joy ratio: 30:70↩
You can find more info about our rating system in this article: Click here! ↩
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Words: Martin Staffa Photos: Jan Richter